Attachment-plug receptacle.



F. V. BURTON.

ATTACHMENT PLUG RECEPTACLE.

APPLICATloN FILED JUNE 23,1915.

Llglu Patented Jan. 25, 1916.

w1; i@ rb wir FRANK V. BURTON, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CON- NECTICUT.

ATTACHMENT-PLUG- RECEPTACLE.

Application filed June 23, 1915. Serial No. 35,924.

To all whom t may concern Be it known that I, FRANK V. BURTON, a citizen of the United States of America, and residing at Bridgeport, in the county of Faireld and State of Connecticut, have 1nvented a certain new and Improved Attachment-Plug Receptacle, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to attachment plug receptacles and particularly to a device of the Hush receptacle type, the object of my invention being to provide a receptacle having its receiving contacts so arranged as to coperate with the jack blades ofplugs of different constructions.

In the accompanying drawings,.Figure 1 is a plan of a receptacle in which my invention is embodied in one form; Fig. 2 1s a similar view with the cover plate and portion of the insulating body of the receptacle removed; Fig. 3 is an inverted plan of the body of the receptacle; Fig. 4 is a lon-`- gitudinal section through the same; Figs. 5 and 6 are side elevations of attachment plugs of diferent constructions with which the present receptacle is adapted to co/perate; Figs. 7 and 8 are side elevations of receiving contacts carried by the receptacle; and Fig. 9 is a broken elevation of portio of the base.

Attachment plugs of the types shown 1n Figs. 5 and 6 are now employed to a large extent as connections for use with various types of electrically driven appliances. 1n the plug 10, shown in Fig. 5, the jacks'll, in the form of blades, are arranged 4in line with each other and provided with notches 12 on their edges to engage with bosses on the receiving contacts of a coperating receptacle. the jack blades 14 are arranged in parallel In the plug 13, shown in Fig. 6,"

and have cups 15 formed in their faces to* engage coperating bosses on the receiving contacts of a suitable receptacle. Heretofore it has been necessary to use receptacles of distinct construction for each type of attachment plug, since it is obviously, impossible to insert the parallel jack blades 14 in the slots of a receptacle adapted` to receive alined jack blades, such as 11, carried by the plug 10. rllhe present construction pro- V vides a receptacle in which the contacts of the receptacle are adapted to coperate with either type of plug. Since the receptacles are commonly sold independent of the plugs and are permanently installed in the wall of a house, shop, or the like, it is obviously a decided advantage. to have its contacts of such construction that they Will receive the Jacks of either type of plug. This is more particularly so in view of the fact that current using devices such as electric flatirons, fans, toilet appliances, etc., are com monly supplied by manufacturers with cord and plug assembled, some using one type of plug and others using the other type, while the receptacles are commonly supplied by an independent manufacturer. 'llhe provision of a receptacle adapted to receive one or the other type of plug is of great value to the consumer since it affords a device which is therefore to a certain extent universal in its utility.

As lhere shown,.the present device comprises an insulating base 16, on the depressed shoulders 17 at the diagonally opposite corners of which are mounted terminal plates 18, carrying binding screws 19 for the line wires. rllhe securing screws 20 for the terminal. plates connect the latter to straps 21 let into the lower face of the base 16, through which the current is conducted by screws 22 to the plates 23 arranged in the bottom of a circular well 24 formed in the upper face of the base 16. Jack-receiving terminals 25, 26, 27 and 28 are secured to Parenteel aan.. es, lare.

4coperating pairs of terminals for the blades of attachmentV plugs of the different types lO and 13, illustrated in Figs..5 and 6. 'llhus receiving terminals 25`and 26 are alined or, in trade parlance, arranged in tandem to coperate with the blades 11 of the plug 10, while the terminals 27 and 28 are, arranged in parallel to coperate with the bla-des 14 of theplug 13.

`To inclose the several receiving terminals in separate chambers, I provide an insulating block 29 fitting within the well24 and secured .in assembled position therein by means of a securing screw 30. This block is pierced at 31, 32, 33 and 34 in register with the receiving terminals 25-28 to perv ate with the recesses in the faces of the jacks 14 of the plug 13, thus reinforcing the frictional engagement of the receiving'terminals by a readily freed mechanical engagement.

The cover plate 36 for the receptacle overlies the base 16 andis provided with a ceny tral aperture 37 within which fits the upper 'inwhich an attachment ment of the slots 31-341 end of the block 29 so that the face of thc latter s substantially flush with the face plate. This block may also be provided with a peripheral flange 38 'which overlies the upper edge of the base 16 and by its engagement therewith insures the maintenance of the face of the block substantially flush with the outer surface of the face plate 36.

The usual securing ears 39 are carried by the base 16 and afford means for securing the face plate thereto by means of screws 40.

The particular construction of the receiving contacts 25-28 may be varied in many ways as may also the particular arrangeof the block 29, and I do not limit the invention to the particular construction shown in this respect or in other respects which do not depart from what I claim as my invention. Obviously also the invention may be embodied in a fitting which comprises an attachment plug receptacle merely as one element of a group, such for instance as a heater control fitting plug receptacle is combined with a switch and signal light on a common base.

I claim as my invention 1. An attachment plug receptacle having receiving terminal means having contacts suitably arranged to engage either substantially parallel or substantially tandem jack blades on a coperating plug.

2. An attachment plug receptacle having a pair of base plates and receiving terminal means thereon havingV contacts suitably arranged to engage either substantially parallel or substantially tandem jack blades on 'a coperating plug.

3. An attachment plug receptacle having an insulating base, upwardly-projecting terminal means having contacts suitably arranged to engage either substantially parallel or substantially tandem jack blades on a coperating plug, and an independent cover block of insulation inclosing said tcrminal means and recessed to form insulated contact chambers for terminals of dierent polarity.

4:. An attachment plug receptacle having an insulating base, upwardly-projecting terminal means having contacts suitably arranged to engage either substantially parallel or substantially tandem jack blades on a coperating plug, and an independent cover block of insulation inclosing said terminal means and pierced to form an independent contact chamber for each receiving terminal.

5. An attachment plug receptacle having an insulating base, a pair of conductor straps mounted on the lower face of said base and a pair of terminal means on the upper face of said base respectively electrically connected to said conductor straps, each of said terminal means having contacts suitably arranged to receive an attachment plug having its blades arranged either substantially in parallel or substantially in tandem.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification, in the 1presence of two subscribing witnesses.

FRANK V. BURTON.

Witnesses :i

G. W. GOODRIDGE, GEO. B. THOMAS. 

